Construction of Bridge Connecting Lake and Park Campuses

Dr. Brenda Jackson, Director

Pre-Hurricane Katrina, SUNO’s campus existed almost entirely on 22 acres located on Press Drive between Pontchartrain Park and the Gentilly Neighborhood just south of the railway overpass and Leon C. Simon Boulevard. Post-Katrina, it was necessary to expand to a temporary campus to the north between Leon C. Simon and the Lakefront levee. As a result, we now have an additional 38 acres, known as the Lake Campus.

There are three significant obstacles related to the development of the two campuses (Park and Lake) into one. First is the distance of 600 feet between the entries into the two campuses which poses an issue of identify for those visiting the University for the first time, as well as the day to day, back and forth for students, faculty and staff. Second is the challenge of the intersection of Press Drive and Leon C. Simon Boulevard that exists between the two campuses, and third is the railroad levee the prevents a visual connection between the two campus areas as well as the unsightly underpass.

The purpose of this component is to construct a link (pedestrian bridge) between SUNO’s two (2) campuses, the Park campus and the Lake campus, thereby providing a pedestrian walkway for the safety of our students, faculty and staff.